In case you haven't read about it, this year's Topps Tribute is a 100 card set with both active and retired players included. There are five cards per pack, six packs per box. Each pack is guaranteed either an autograph or a relic. And each box runs in the neighborhood of a mere $250. Such a deal.

Perhaps this is a bit of a generalization, but do you think its safe to say that most of us card bloggers are "budget-conscious"? I read on different message boards about collectors spending thousands for cases, in search of that elusive big hit. But I read very little on the blogs about chasing hits. I think we are more "collectors" than "speculators."

This collector will never spend $50 on a pack of cards. Instead, he lets the speculators do that and then he'll swoop in and grab the unwanted base cards at bargain prices.

There are five Cubs in this year's Tribute...all retired. Not even Starlin Castro or Anthony Rizzo made the list. Four of the five are players I collect (Fergie Jenkins is the fifth), so last weekend I picked up the base card of the four, spending a fraction of the cost of a single pack of this.

The cards are nice looking, shiny and thick and such. But they should be for the price you pay.

Let me start with the best three of the four, and then save the disappointing card for last.

Three Cubs Hall of Famers in almost the exact same pose...how weird is that.

Too bad they didn't get my favorite Cub in the same pose. Instead we get this...

It's not bad except that its the same picture as in...

....Gypsy Queen. In fact, in the Gypsy Queen mini Billy post a couple days ago, I gave Topps some credit for using a picture that wasn't used much before. No more props for Topps.

It's been nice to see Billy included in products that he's been missing from in the past, but use a little variety with the pictures, please.

I haven't seen a checklist for 2013 Ginter yet, so I don't know if he is on the list. If he is, then, may I present...

About Me

I am a life-long Cubs fan currently in exile in southern Michigan. I have been collecting baseball cards since the fateful Cubs year of 1969. I took a 15 year break from the hobby and returned in 2008.